Water heater



W. H. HOLBY Oct. 2, 1934.

WATER HEATER Ijjled March 16 193B INVENTO M11107 fig? A -ATTQRNEY Patented Get. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,975,101 WATER HEATER Worrell H. HoIby, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Application March 16, 1933, Serial No. 661,007

3 Claims. (c1. 257E248) This invention relates to water heaters, and more particularly to heaters adapted to be installed in a hot water or steam boiler so that the water in the heater is heated by the hot element, preferably water, surrounding the heater in the boiler, and the heater will supply hot water on demand. Heaters of this type are commonly known as submerged Water heaters.

The construction of steam and hotwater boilers varies considerably, and in some constructions, due to the number and location of internal stay-bolts, the position of the boiler tubes, the location and construction of the smoke box, and other features, the space available in the boiler to accommodate a water heater is very A principal object of this invention isto provide a water-heater of the character described and one which may be installed readily and conveniently in a most restricted space and location in a boiler, and at the same time gives an: adequate and copious flow of water-on demand, and one which draws avery moderate amount of heat from the boiler. 1

Water heaters installed in boilers are subject to many fluctuating conditions, which include variations of the temperature of the incoming water, variations in thetemperature of the surrounding element (water or air)- in the boiler, variations in the rate of discharge, etc. Variations in each of these conditions will necessarily be reflected in the operation of the heater andthe temperature of the water drawn therefrom, with the result that under certain conditions the water drawn from the heater is apt to betoo hot and under certain other conditions too cold.

lhe ater of the character described and one which is subject to regulation and control to offset the effects of such conditions, and the water temperature maintained at a proper or desired temperature in spite of them; and to provide means ,55 these heater parts andco'nnections: Entrance of Another object of this invention is toprovi'de a where theflow is multi-directional, and, consefiue gases around leaky or loose gaskets also causes corrosion.

Boiling water in which the heater is submerged tends to vibrate it, and it is important that the heater be so mounted that it will not vibrate so to as toloosen the connections and mounting, or vibrate against a boiler tube or other part, as this would damage and wear them away.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for mounting the water heater properly es and firmly in the boiler in a very simple manner, whereby injurious vibration and likelihood of the loosening of connections, and the springing of leaks are avoided, and at the same time permitting the easy and convenient dismounting of .the re heater, and to provide a mounting which-requires no parts or connectionst'o be located in the smokebox oftheboiler.

Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

7 Water heaters of the submerged type have heretoforeusua'lly been constructed with the inlet and outlet at the same end, thus having a flow capacity corresponding to approximately one-half the cross sectional area of their conduits. Furtherr'nor'e, in these heaters the entire heater is always active, irrespective of the setting of the intake'or outletvalves, that is, the entire interior of the heater is open to all entering water and to have water drawn therefrom, and therefore their efiiciency and the temperature of the water supplied by themvaries considerably with variations in the temperature of the incoming -'water, the

boiler and the rate of outflow. It is also quite usual to support these heaters from the front tube V sheet of the boiler, and at one end only, thus tending to permit objectionable vibration, and having parts exposed inthe smoke-box outside of the furnace,

According to my invention the heater is so constructed that the area open to the flow of water through the heater may be varied. The how is preferably through a plurality of sets of tubes or conduits, and means are provided whereby the flow through certain tubes may be restricted or shut oil? entirely, while leaving the flow through other tubes unchanged. if desired. This may be accomplished by means of valves associated with separate flow conduits, either inlet or outlet, associated separately with different heater tubes or sets of heater tubes. There is preferably a uni-directional flow through the heater to permit a much greater flow for the same cross-sectional area than is possible quently, a much smaller heater is possible for placing in restricted boiler, spaces without sacrificing of capacity.

The provision of separate heater sections and means for regulating the fiow of water therethrough separately permits of regulation and control of the temperature of the water supplied by the heater, irr accordance with variations in the conditions to which the heater is subjected.

The heater is preferably supported at both'ends, preferably directly from the boiler walls. This avoids vibration and yields a most firm and sturdy mounting. Damage from fiue gases is avoided by having no parts exposed in the smoke-box.

In order thata clear understanding of this in-. ventionrmay ballad, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of this invention, and in which:

Fig. 1' is a side view partly in section of a water heater embodying this invention mounted in' a boiler, certain parts being broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the inlet and of the heater and is taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in both views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the heater in the embodiment shown includes a header 23 at the inlet" end and a header 24 at the outlet end., A partition or wall 25 in the header 23 divides the interior into two compartments 26 and 27. Tubes or pipes 28 connect the compartment 26 to the header 24 and tubes or pipes 29 connect the compartment 27 with the header 24.

Before installing the heater in a boiler an elbow fitting 30 is secured in a threaded aperture provided therefor in header 23 and leadsinto compartment 26. Another elbow fitting 31 is secured to header 23 and leads into compartment 27, and another elbow fitting 32 is secured to header 24.

In installing the heater in. a boiler the center distances between the fittings 30 and 31 and 32 are marked off on a suitable wall 33 of the boiler and at each marked place a hole is burned large enough to accommodate a coupling. A suitable opeing 34 is cut into the back or front tube sheet '35 of the boiler large enough to permit the heater being introduced endwise therethrough, or such hole may be made in some other suitable or desired location. The heater is then introduced through this opening 34 into the boiler and so placed that the fittings 30, 31 and 32 are in line with the corresponding holes previously made in the boiler wall 33. A nipple of suitable length is then introduced through each of these holes into engagement with the corresponding elbow fitting. As shown nipple 36 is engaged with fitting 31, nipple 37 is engaged with fitting 30, and nipple 38 is engaged with fitting 32. Each of the nipples is then firmly secured to the boiler wall 33 by similar connections. Each connection includes an assembly, comprising one-half of a standard steel coupling 39 engaged by the nipple 40 and one-half of a standard union 41 which are first slipped over the nipples 36, 37 and 38. Another assembly, comprising a coupling 42 having two sets of internal threads and one set of external threads and engaging the other half of the union 41 is now slipped on each nipple 36, 37 and 38, and the lower threads of the coupling ring 42 engaged with the threads of the upper end of each nipple. The two sections of the union 41 are now drawn together by screwing up the union nut 43, and thus the unions are made up and all the pipe parts and fittings are now in their proper relative positions. Coupling rings 39, which seat in the holes made therefor in the boiler wall, may now be welded thereto, as at 44. The opening 34 through which the heater was inserted into the boiler may now be closed by either welding a suitable piece of metal in the opening or by means of a cover 45 and gasket 46 held in place tightly by suitable clamps 46 of any suitable type.

A suitable pipe 47 having a valve 48 is con- '*nected with nipple 36" to direct water into the compartment 2? of the header 23, and a similar pipe 49 having a valve 50 is connected to the nipple' 37 to direct water into the compartment 26 of header 23. An outlet pipe 51 is connected to receive water from'the nipple 38. Thus it is apparent that-*the inflow of water into the heater comes through either or both pipes 4'? and 49 in such quantities as is determined by the adjustment of the valves 48 and 50. All the water flowing past valve 48 flows through the heater pipes 29 and noneflows through the heater pipes 28. Similarly all the water flowing through valve 50 flows through the heater pipes 28 but none flows through the pipes 29. Thus the heater is subject to regulation, such as is conducive to maintaining the temperature of the water delivered by the heater at the proper or desired temperature, irrespective of variations in the temperature of the incoming water, the temperature in the boiler, and the 'rate of flow through the heater. By providing a heater having a variable effective housing surface, the changes in the water temperature as it comes from the main in the summer and'winter, and the changes in boiler temperature to conform to outside or seasonal temperatures may be oifsetj For; instance, in summer both valves 48 and 50 are preferably wide open so that the entire heating surface of the heater is effective, thus permitting the boiler to be run at a lower temperature than if the effective heating surface were less. In the'fall the boiler temperature is usually quite high because heat is needed. The water in the main, however, ,is usually still comparatively warm. Therefore by closing the valve 48 the effective heating surface of the heater is so re duced that the water in the heater is not likely to become too hot. In mild winter weather the inflowing water is very cold, and with a moderate boiler fire the entire effective heating surface of the heater is usually required. However, in very cold winter weather the boiler temperature is apt to be so increased to yield the amount of heat required for heating that it would be apt to cause the water in the heater to become too hot unless the valve 48 were closed and the effective heating surface of the heater reduced accordingly. In the spring the water from the street is still cold but very little heat is required of the boiler for heating purposes. Therefore with reduced heat in the boiler and cold water entering the heater the entire heating surface of the heater is required and both valves 48 and 49 should be opened. Obviously regulation of the eifective heating surface of the heater may be obtained by closing and opening valve 50, and it will be noticed that since pipe 49 communicates with more tubes than does pipe 47, there will be a greater reduction or increase in the effective heating surface of the heater by regulating valve 50 than by regulating valve 48.

Obviously the cross-sectional shape of the heater may be varied at will. Also the position of the partition wall in the header 23 may be varied as desired and also any desired number of tubes in any desired arrangement may be provided and connected in any desired number with the two compartments in the header 23. Also it is obvious that instead of having the header 23 divided into two compartments fed by two pipes the header may be divided into three, orany other number of compartments, as desired, and each supplied by water through an individual pipe. Obviously the header 24 may also be divided and each compartment have a separate valved outlet pipe; in which case, the header 23 may be undivided and supplied by a single pipe, if desired.

By supporting the heater at both ends it is held in place firmly and vibration is avoided, and at the same time there is suflicient flexibility in the connections at each end to take care of expansion and contraction due to changes in temperature. In this connection, it is to be noted that the boiler wall 33 is subject to approximately the same changes in temperature as is the heater, and therefore expands and contracts therewith.

Other improvements and advantages over constructions and installations heretofore known will be obvious to those familiar with this art.

Accordingly many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is to be understood that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:-

1. In a heater of the character described, in

combination, a pair of headers, one having a plurality of chambers, water conduits extending between said headers and connecting said chambers separately to the other header, and means for shutting off the circulation of water through certain of said conduits, whereby the effective heating surface of the heater is reduced.

2. In a heater of the character described, in combination, a header having a plurality of chambers, a water connection communicating with said chambers separately, a second header, a water connection communicating with said header, water conduits extending between said headers and connecting said chambers separately to said second header, and means for shutting off the water connection to one of said chambers, whereby the eifective heating surface of the heater is reduced.

3. In a heater of the character described, in combination, a header having a plurality of chambers, separate water connections communieating with each chamber, a second header, Water conduits extending between said headers and connec'ting said chambers separately to said second header, and an adjustable valve associated with one of said connections, whereby, when the valve is closed, the flow of water to one of said chambers and through the conduits communicating therewith is shut olf and the effective heating surface of the heater is reduced.

WORRELL H. HOLBY. 

